se), they daily make good cheare, but our dyet is a little meale
and water, and not sufficient of that. Though there be fish in the Sea,
fowles in the ayre, and beasts in the woods, their bounds are so large,
they so wilde, and we so weake and ignorant, we cannot much trouble
them. Captaine Newport we much suspect to be the Author of these
inventions. Now that you should know, I have made you as great a
discovery as he, for less charge than he spendeth you every meale; I had
sent you this mappe of the Countries and Nations that inhabit them, as
you may see at large. Also two barrels of stones, and such as I take to
be good. Iron ore at the least; so divided, as by their notes you may
see in what places I found them. The souldiers say many of your officers
maintaine their families out of that you sent us, and that Newport hath
an hundred pounds a year for carrying newes. For every master you have
yet sent can find the way as well as he, so that an hundred pounds might
be spared, which is more than we have all, that helps to pay him wages.
Cap. Ratliffe is now called Sicklemore, a poore counterfeited Imposture.
I have sent you him home least the Company should cut his throat. What
he is, now every one can tell you: if he and Archer returne againe, they
are sufficient to keep us always in factions. When you send againe I
entreat you rather send but thirty carpenters, husbandmen, gardiners,
fishermen, blacksmiths, masons, and diggers up of trees roots, well
provided, then a thousand of such as we have; for except wee be able
both to lodge them, and feed them, the most will consume with want
of necessaries before they can be made good for anything. Thus if you
please to consider this account, and the unnecessary wages to
Captaine Newport, or his ships so long lingering and staying here (for
notwithstanding his boasting to leave us victuals for 12 months, though
we had 89 by this discovery lame and sicke, and but a pinte of corne a
day for a man, we were constrained to give him three hogsheads of that
to victuall him homeward), or yet to send into Germany or Poleland
for glassemen and the rest, till we be able to sustaine ourselves, and
releeve them when they come. It were better to give five hundred pound a
ton for those grosse Commodities in Denmarke, then send for them hither,
till more necessary things be provided. For in over-toyling our weake
and unskilfull bodies, to satisfy this desire of present profit, we can
scarce e